Laurence Mizzi, Bugibba
Mgr Vella's inconsistencies (4)
Having worked very closely with Fr Charles, as Mgr Charles Vella is popularly known, particularly in the field of radio and TV (remember Djalogu?), I was not at all surprised by the way he expressed himself on so many topics in the interview. I have always admired him not only for his creative mind and energy but also his great sincerity.
However, I must say that I could not agree with him on the question of divorce. As Fr Charles knows far better than I do, the question of divorce is a social as well as a moral issue and therefore citizens - common citizens - have a right to be consulted on such a vital issue as the "dissolution" of marriage by the State.
If the majority feel that divorce will threaten (not to say destroy) marriage as God wanted it to be "from the beginning", people should be given the opportunity to express their disapproval or otherwise of its introduction. Referendums are held on matters of far less importance to the well-being of society, so why shouldn't a referendum be held on an issue which is bound to have a long-lasting effect on Maltese society?
I share with Mgr Vella his sympathy and support for cohabiting couples who cannot enter into a second marriage after realising that they had made a mistake when they entered the first one. But will divorce solve their problem? Has divorce eradicated cohabitation? Mgr Vella himself said that in Milan "there are more civil marriages and more cohabiting couples than families..." The same can be said for the rest of the world where divorce has been legalised for many decades, if not centuries.
Therefore, how can the introduction of divorce in Malta eliminate cohabitation? It may solve the problem of those (not all) who are at present cohabiting and who sincerely want to be given a second chance, but it will definitely not eliminate cohabitation. The opposite will happen.
Les us all - Church and State - by all means do all we can to improve the preparation courses for marriage (we can start at primary school level). But let us learn from the rest of the world what divorce has done to the family and to society in general. We would indeed be foolish if we did not.
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victor pulis
Aug 30th 2009, 17:49
When one thinks about it, in the time of Moses when someone violated the 7th commandment that person would have been paving the way for some agrieved husband to file for divorce according to Moseic law!
victor pulis
Aug 30th 2009, 15:51
When Jesus spoke on divorce he said" I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication and marries another commits adultery." So there is an instance where a man may seek divorce and that is when fornication is proved. Fornication means voluntary, illicit sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other. Therefore adultery can be a pretext for divorce. Just as a loss of vocation may lead a priest to seek dispensation from his sagramental oath.
Joseph Meli
Aug 30th 2009, 14:03
@VictorPulis: You are mistaken that God did not include it in the ten Commandments, because in No: 7 he told them "You must not commit adultery" and therefore, if one leaves his wife to remarry another person he would be against the 7th Commandment when one would be committing an adultery with another woman.
Mons. Vella if he said he was in favour of remarriage, the he is wrong as that goes against the 7th Commandment of God, and again if he (Mons Vella) said this he has to reply before GOD when he appears before him.
victor pulis
Aug 30th 2009, 11:32
If God wanted marriage to be insoluble "from the beginning why did He permit the Israelites to practise it under Moses" because of the hardness of their hearts?" Why didn't God include it in the ten commandments and rules found in the book of Deuteronomy? Were those Israelites who divorced their spouses condemned? Did God give in to the people's wishes in the case of divorce?
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I share with Mgr Vella his sympathy and support for cohabiting couples who cannot enter into a second marriage after realising that they had made a mistake when they entered the first one. But will divorce solve their problem?"
Divorce will give the chance to at least some of the cohabiting couples to regularise their position in society. One can put the question in a different way. Will the absence of divorce stop couples cohabiting?
Priests can be dispenced from their priestly vows and can go on and marry and have children. What about their vows of chastity? The truth is that laws were made by priests and popes who were wise enough to leave loop holes from where to exit where they were concerned. a privilage denied to the common flock.